NO. 1: NFL WEEK 1: RAMS vs. INDIANAPOLIS Details/TV: At the Coliseum, Sunday at 1:05 p.m., Channel 2Two stories of note over the summer that have decided are somewhat Rams related and could be useful for future reference as the journey to a 6-10 season gets underway:
= A study released by a San Diego-based safety video company shows that from 2012-2016, there was a 53 percent spike in drowsy-related collisions or near-accidents with sanitation drivers on the Monday and Tuesday mornings following Sunday or Monday night televised NFL games. Can we break that down further on how many of those games involved the Rams, where fans likely nodded off early in the contest rather than staying up late to watch the conclusion? Or the fact that the Rams were only involved in one MNF telecast in ’16 means they’re off the hook?
== Rams owner Stan Kroenke and his entertainment group got into the TV business recently with the launch of a subscription-based channel in the United Kingdom called My Outdoor TV, described as “the Netflix of the hunting world.” Blood sport excursions were to be included. For someone who owns a team named after some mountain goats, wouldn’t it be fair game to see a pride of lions or a den of Bengal tigers stalked and killed in the wild?
Kronke, who also owns a majority of the famous Arsenal football team in the UK, got immediate blowback. He eventually ordered the channel to kill all “blood sport” programming because of “his decades-long track record of environmental stewardship, working with conservationists, hydrologists, microbiologists, and others to responsibly manage habitat and enhance wildlife preservation.” Never mind the fact there’s a good chance that on the first week of NFL football, you could see a bunch of Colts kicking the rear ends of the Rams, with or without their good luck charm, Andrew Luck, calling signals.Also this week in NFL Week 1: Thursday: Kansas City at New England, 5:30 p.m., Channel 4 Sunday: New York Giants at Dallas, 5:30 p.m., Channel 4; Seattle at Green Bay, 1:25 p.m., Channel 11; Philadelphia at Washington, 10 a.m., Channel 11

NO. 2: COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 2: USC vs. STANFORD Details/TV: At the Coliseum, Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Channel 11Stanford was allowed to start its season with a 62-7 mashing of Rice back on Aug. 26, but since it took place in Sydney, Australia, it may seem as if it happened long ago. Trojans fans as well may put the 49-31 win over Western Michigan as far in the past as possible. As the Cardinal make a much shorter trip South this time, the question remains: Will the Leland Stanford University Marching Band make the journey? Last June, the school decided “the Band” was in good standing after it suspended all activities in the wake of more problems with bassoon players behaving badly. The band didn’t go down under, but they could be ready to go over-the-top again with a new halftime show on the Coliseum turf.

NO. 3: COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 2: UCLA vs. HAWAII Details/TV: At the Rose Bowl, Saturday at 2 p.m., Pac-12 NetworkUCLA alums must be wondering: When do we get one of those cushy trips to Honolulu like USC takes every so often to start the season? Not any time soon, according to the future schedules available. As Bruins backers break out their coolest Hawaiian shirts, the Rainbow Warriors (2-0) have already made one roadie – a 38-35 win at UMass on Aug. 26 – and won last Saturday 41-28 at home against Western Carolina. They have have four more trips to the mainland after this. Hawaii has never played UCLA at the Rose Bowl. Their last meeting in L.A. was back in 1935 at the Coliseum.Also Week 2 in college football:Saturday: Auburn at Clemson, 4 p.m., ESPN; Georgia at Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m., Channel 4, Oklahoma at Ohio State, 4:30 p.m., Channel 7, Utah at BYU, 7:15 p.m., Boise State at Washington State, 7:30 p.m.

NO. 4: MLB: DODGERS vs. ARIZONA Details/TV: At Dodger Stadium, Monday at 5:10 p.m., SportsNet LA; Tuesday at 7:10 p.m, SNLA and Channel 5; Wednesday at 7:10 p.m., SNLAThe narrative continues that the Dodgers and D’backs are mostly likely to meet again in the first round of the NLDS, so the fact the teams will have played nine games in a four-week span makes it quite interesting, coming an Arizona sweep in Phoenix last week. Colorado, which is aligned to play the D’backs in a one-game wildcard playoff, also get to show the Dodgers how far they’ve stumbled since the Dodgers won three in a row against them June 23-25, including the final game when Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino. Meanwhile, the Dodgers also plan their first “Dia De Los Dodgers” promotion Tuesday that includes a special T-shirt as a way to “honor the spirit and memories of your beloved family member or friend who taught you to love baseball and the Dodgers.”Also this week: Vs. Colorado at Dodger Stadium, Friday at 7:10 p.m. and Saturday at 6:10 p.m., SNLA, Sunday at 1:10 p.m., TBS national game.

NO. 5: TENNIS: 117th U.S. OPEN FINALS Details/TV: At USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., women’s final: Saturday at 1 p.m., ESPN; men’s final, Sunday at 1 p.m., ESPNA series of early rain delays and upsets became the narrative going into the second week with more questions than answers, and more new names popping up as they advance toward some sort of finality. Because of the bracket drawn before some of the key top men’s players dropped out, a Rafael Nadal match against Roger Federer can only happen in the semifinals (Friday, 1 p.m.). On the women’s side, keep an eye on U.S. women Coco Vanderweghe and Madison Keys, who start thier round of 16 on Monday.Also: Women’s semifinals, Thursday at 4 p.m., ESPN; men’s and women’s quarterfinals, Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., ESPN
More info: www.USOpen.org

NO. 6: GOLF: 46th WALKER CUP Details/TV: At Los Angles Country Club, Friday-Sunday, FS1This USGA and Royal and Ancient Golf event puts a team of 10 amateurs from the U.S. – including recent U.S. Amateur Champion Doc Redmon of Clemson, plus USC’s Stewart Hagestad, La Canada Flintridge’s Collin Morikawa and Canyon Lake’s Norman Xiong – against 10 from England, Ireland and Wales. It’s the third time the event will be on the West Coast (Seattle, 1961 and Cypress Point, 1981). It’s all scored on head-to-head match points. The U.S. leads the series 35-9-1 with the Great Britain team looking to win the Cup in consecutive tournaments since 2003. Ceremonies take place Friday followed by morning foursomes (9 a.m., FS1) and eight singles matches (1 p.m., FS1) on Saturday. Sunday has morning foursomes (9 a.m., FS1) and afternoon singles (3 p.m.)
More info: www.walkercup.org

NO. 7: MLB: ANGELS at OAKLAND Details/TV: Monday at 1:05 p.m., Tuesday at 7:05 p.m., Wednesday at 12:35 p.m. Fox Sports West
The Angels come off a sweep of the A’s in Anaheim last week, and these three will be the final series between the two this season. As long as the A’s keep Chris Hatcher in their bullpen, the Angels can always hatch a late-inning escape plan into their strategy to stay in the AL wild-card discussion.Also this week: At Seattle, Friday at 7:10 p.m., Saturday at 6:10 p.m., Sunday at 1:10 p.m., FSW

NO. 8: HORSE RACING: DEL MAR SUMMER SEASON CLOSESDetails: At Del Mar Race Track, Monday at 2 p.m.
Until it returns for a meeting in November leading into the Breeders’ Cup, Del Mar is done for the summer as of Labor Day, and things move over to the L.A. County Fair at Los Alamitos starting Wednesday (through Sept. 26). The Del Mar Futurity and Juvenile Fillies Turf race finish the season.

NO. 9: SOCCER: 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYINGU.S. MEN NATIONAL TEAM VS. HONDURASDetails/TV: at Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., beIN Sports
What happened last week against Costa Rica?
Even after the USMNT lost 2-0 to Costa Rica on its home turf last week, it apparently doesn’t need a win here. But it needs at least a point, or else it falls to fifth place in their bracket. Mexico (5-0-2, 17 point) has clinched a berth. Costa Rica (4-1-2, 14) is close. Trinidad and Tobago is mathematically alive but …It means the U.S. (2-3-2, 8) is right there with Honduras (2-3-2) and Panama (1-2-4) vying for one automatic berth and one slot at a two-leg playoff against Asia’s fifth-place team in a couple of months. The U.S. last took a 6-0 World Cup qualifying win against Honduras on Mach 24 in San Jose.

NO. 10: RUNNING: “CONQUER THE BRIDGE” Details: Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, Monday at 7 a.m.
Talk about cool runnings. The ninth-annual 5.3 mile run is actually a romp across San Pedro’s iconic bridge in the L.A. Harbor. San Pedro’s own Chris Foster won it last year in 27:55, almost two minutes faster than the runner-up. It costs $60 to enter on the day of the race. More info: www.conquerthebridge.com

Tom Hoffarth is a freelancer. He had been with the Daily News/Southern California News Group since 1992 as a general assignment sports reporter, columnist and specialist in the sports media. He has been honored by the Associated Press for sports columnists and honored by the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association for his career work. His favorite sportscaster of all time: Vin Scully, for professional and personal reasons. He considers watching Zenyatta win the Breeders' Cup 2009 Classic to be the most memorable sporting event he has covered in his career. Go figure that.

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